Improvement in signs



JOHN H. CRANE @L c. w. CRANE.

' Sign. N0.123,871. Patented Feb.20,1872.

Figi.

j if. ,Q di L J Ma UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE JOHN H. CRANE AND OHARLESW. CRANE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SIGNS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,871, dated February 20, 1872.

`To all to whom these presents may come:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. CRANE and CHARLES W. CRANE, both of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Pendent Flexible Signs; and do and the method of hanging iiexible pendent signs, to be supported over a street and from buildings on opposite sides thereof.

In constructing our improved sign, we form the same of canvas, and in two or more sections, A A', 86o., which may be of rectangular or an other desirable shape. Each of these sections is mounted at its upper end on a rod or stretcher, a, which has an eye iliade through each of its opposite ends to receive, respectively, two supporting lines or cords, b b', each of which is attached at its upper end to a line, c, extending' across a street and affixed to two buildings located on opposite sides thereof, as shown at H H. The lower ends of the said cords are affixed to another line, d, disposed below the sign, and also extending across the street and attached to the aforesaid buildings, such line running parallel with the line c. The said sections A A, 85o., are so affixed to the cords b b that when at rest, or in the same vertical plane, they present very nearly an unbroken surface; but when acted on by the wind each is free to move outward, so as to form an opening or passage for the wind to pass through. This opening may be limited to any desirable width or size by means of stay-lines e e attached to the lower corners of the sections, and to the cords b b; these staylines, however, may be affixed at any desirable points on the sides of the sections, so as to maintain the portion intervening between such attachment and the top of the section in, or very nearly in, a vertical position, whatever may be the impetus of the wind.

The lateral supporting cords b b may be wholly inelastic or entirely elastic, or be partially elastic and partially inelastic. We prefer, however, to make the upper portion, or that extending down from the top to the bottom of the sign, non-elastic, and the portions e intervening between the lower section and the suspending-line d elastic, as, while the nonelastic portions so arranged better maintain the normal state ofthe sections, the lower elastic portions prevent too great strain upon the canvas or their connection under any sudden and violent gust of wind.

B y thus restraining the limit of movement of thesections or parts of the sign, as described, the lettering thereof being made on the upper part of the sections, is always kept in sight, and the sections or parts of the Vsign prevented from blowing over and folding upon themselves.

We would remark that, instead of suspending the sign upon the lines o d, it may be suspended by guy-lines leading from the eyes of each of the upper and lower stretchers to the buildings on opposite sides of the street, in which case a rod or stretcher should be disposed below the lower section, as seen in the drawing. The lower guy-lines, in such cases, we prefer to have more or less elastic, for the purpose before stated.

A modification of our invention would be to make the body of the sign of one piece of ilexible material, so cut as to form openings or wind-passages provided with liaps or doors, as shown in Fig. 3. I

From the above it will be seen that, by constructing the sign in sections, as described, much less strain is caused upon the sign than if made of one entire piece of canvas or other material, the currents of air having a free passageway between them, while, by supporting the sign at both its upper and lower edges, the reading ofthe inscription thereon is rendered easier, under all circumstances, than if the whole were formed in one unbroken piece and suspended only from its upper ends.

We do not claim a sign composed of a series of vertical cords and horizontal bars or slats, having lettering strips affixed either to the said bars or cords, as we are aware that such is not new.

Having described our invention, what we claim is as follows:

1. A exible pendent sign, consisting of two or more sections, A A', 8:0., of canvas, prosuspending line or lines elastic, as and for the vided with stretehers, as described, lateral suppurpose set forth.

porting-cords b b', and suspending-lines c d, or JOHN H. CRANE. the equivalent ofthe latter, constructed, oom- CHARLES W. CRANE. bined, and arranged together substantially as set forth. Witnesses:

2. In a flexible pendent sign held in suspen- F. P. HALE,

sion both at top and bottom, making the lower F. C. HALE. 

